Curate Housing Handbook

Curate Housing Handbook Version 14 Revised: December 2020 Contents Forward from the Chair of the Parsonages Committee ...................... 3 The Purpose of this Booklet is to ................................................... 3 Especially for Assistant Curates – Title Post Housing ........................ 4 Process ................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Standards of Accommodation for Assistant Curates .............................................................................................. 4 Responsibilities of the Property Committee ..................................... 5 Responsibilities of the Resident ..................................................... 5 Location and availability ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Good stewardship ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Visiting the house ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Administrative Matters ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Moving in ............................................................................................................................................................. 7 In an emergency ......................................................................... 7 Safety and Security ...................................................................... 7 Gas ...................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Electricity ............................................................................................................................................................. 8 Trees ................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Smoke Detectors .................................................................................................................................................. 8 Asbestos .............................................................................................................................................................. 8 Condensation ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 Disability .............................................................................................................................................................. 8 Water Softeners ................................................................................................................................................... 9 Security ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 Moving on at the end of your Curacy ............................................. 9 When moving out................................................................................................................................................. 9 And finally ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 Useful names and addresses ....................................................... 10 Clergy Housing Handbook Page 2 of 10 Forward from the Chair of the Parsonages Committee Welcome to the Diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich. This Guide has been prepared by the Property Team to help occupants of Diocesan houses and their families with the management of their home. It seeks to explain how the system of maintaining our houses works, and to set out clearly who is responsible for what, and when. Responsibility for maintaining the property is shared between the Diocese and the occupants; this Guide seeks to provide information for occupants about how these responsibilities are to be met. The Parsonages Committee hopes that gathering this information in one document will prove useful to all involved and enable us together to care for the property wisely yet prudently, and hand it on in a good state for our successors. The Diocese takes the lion’s share of responsibility and maintains the structure and fabric of the building and the services to it. This includes such things as general repairs and maintenance, improvement works, payment of council tax, water rates and buildings insurance, etc. The occupant has a duty to take care of the house and gardens and to act as a good steward for the duration of their tenure. The parish plays an important role during vacancy and leading up to the arrival of the new clergy occupant. If you have any concerns about your clergy home please get in touch with the property team who will be glad to do what they can to help. Ian Wigston Chair of the Parsonages Committee Trustee of the DBF The Purpose of this Booklet is to • Explain how the system of maintaining diocesan houses works. • Set out the rights and duties of all involved. • Explain the procedures in case of emergencies. • Provide answers to many routine questions. If you become aware of any building maintenance or repair issues, then please report them as soon as possible to the diocesan office staff on 01473 298512 or via email to: [email protected] Clergy Housing Handbook Page 3 of 10 Especially for Assistant Curates – Title Post Housing These days, assistant curates are no longer only placed in parishes that can afford to buy a house and therefore the provision of their accommodation is not regarded as a parochial responsibility but as the responsibility of the Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF). The St Edmundsbury & Ipswich DBF is committed to providing appropriate accommodation for all those entering ministry. Process When the decision has been made to place an assistant curate with a Training Incumbent, the Diocesan Director of Ordinands (DDO) informs diocesan office staff, and they and the archdeacon will start the process of finding suitable accommodation. Consultation takes place with the training incumbent regarding location and then trained diocesan staff begin to look for a suitable property. Members of the local church are encouraged to make suggestions about possible properties but all negotiations are carried out by diocesan office staff to ensure the integrity of the purchase process. When the legal purchase process of a suitable property has begun, your incumbent will be informed. In some instances, of course, an assistant curate’s house will already be available within the area and this will normally be retained for the new title post holder. Replacement of an existing house is only undertaken in the most exceptional circumstances. Standards of Accommodation for Assistant Curates We aim to provide the most modern, cost efficient and comfortable accommodation possible within the constraints of location and budget. The minimum standard of accommodation for title post holders will usually provide: • three bedrooms • two separate reception spaces • kitchen (with separate utility space if possible) • ground floor cloakroom Sometimes it is simply not possible (or necessary) for all the criteria to be met and some flexibility may be required where exceptions to the basic standard cannot be avoided, for example: • where special needs exist • where the location means that a property providing the standard accommodation is not readily available • where it proves difficult to find a property with two separate reception rooms Clergy Housing Handbook Page 4 of 10 Responsibilities of the Property Committee 1. To maintain the structure and exterior of the building (walls, roofs, windows, doors, gutters, drains etc.). 2. To provide and maintain the installations for the supply of heating, water, utilities and sanitation. 3. To make payments in respect of council tax, water/sewerage rates and building insurance (but not contents insurance). 4. To maintain all fixtures and fittings belonging to the house listed on the latest periodic inspection report. 5. To decorate and maintain public rooms (the downstairs WC, the hall, stairs, landing) in neutral colours. 6. To have smoke and carbon dioxide detectors fitted in the premises. 7. To provide flooring for wet areas (kitchen, utility room, WCs and bathrooms), halls, stairs and landings. 8. To provide basic curtain track fittings to each window or blinds to certain windows on a discretionary basis. 9. To maintain integrated cookers and hobs. Where integrated dishwashers are fitted and they break down beyond economic repair, the kitchen base unit will be adapted to suit a freestanding dishwasher which would be supplied and maintained by the Assistant Curate. 10. To prioritise and carry out improvement work when and where appropriate and as funds permit. 11. To manage through regular periods any large trees at the property (excluding modest fruit trees, hedges and shrubs). 12. To provide a BT point for business use only 13. To maintain boundary fences and hedges. Responsibilities of the Resident 1. To

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